The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) has appointed Toronto-based design firm Concrete Design Communications Inc. as its creative agency to develop advertising campaigns promoting its many exhibitions.
John Pylypczak, a founding partner and creative director at Concrete, said the agency was contacted to participate in the RFP approximately three months ago and during the process presented “general top-line thinking.”
“It’s a great opportunity because it’s a very public institution with lots of potential,” said Pylypczak of the win.
While the ROM is a cultural institution, it’s not just competing against similar Toronto venues such as the Art Gallery of Ontario for consumer dollars. It goes head-to-head with movie theatres and restaurants, Pylypczak said.
To reflect this, the creative needs to be “loud, aggressive, bold, fresh but still looking smart and all those things you associate with a cultural institution,” said Pylypczak.
In a release, Kelvin Browne, vice -president of marketing and major exhibitions for the ROM, said Concrete’s presentation “provided us with the confidence that they understood the ROM’s strategic plan and could create dynamic marketing to bring it alive.” A shortlist was not disclosed.
The first campaign from Concrete is for the ROM’s Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana exhibition, which opens June 23. The advertising effort launched earlier this month and includes banner ads in addition to augmented reality transit ads.
